Fig. 1 The new Element Blue logo (above)
Fig. 2 The previous Element Blue logo (above)
Established in 2000, Element Blue provides enterprise level solutions for the technology challenges of businesses, organizations, and communities. With a range of partners and expertise in both hardware and software, Element Blue is able to construct systems that range from comprehensive water management for municipalities to record keeping portals for healthcare.
In Brief
In nearly twenty years of business, Element Blue experienced considerable change in their audience and the nature of their clientele. Where once their primary audience was Chief Technology Officers concerned with the specifications and compatibility of hardware, they found they were frequently speaking to Chief Communications Officers who assign value to outcomes or results and were unconcerned with the underlaying technology in place.
In the wake of this evolution of both their audience and the increasing complexity of tangible services offered to meet the needs of their clients, Element Blue found that their message was becoming increasingly muddled and their outward appearance was not communicating the correct values. So much so in fact, that their primary sales proposition was becoming lost.
Scope of Work
- Messaging
- Brand refinement
- Web
After an extensive review of Element Blue’s brand assets and marketing materials, we made recommendations for a new messaging strategy and informational hierarchy which provided additional clarity to potential clients and allowed Element Blue to more effectively speak to a broad range of interests. Through writing samples, we highlighted how Element Blue could structure information, both general and granular, into a concise and compelling appeal.
Additionally, we recommended a new primary tagline which was more descriptive and aspirational. The existing language—“Innovative • Intelligent • ideas”—was revised to no longer be a bulleted list connected to the logo, and instead be language such as “Smart solutions for a brighter future” and “Innovation, delivered.” to be used throughout the brand.
Our objectives to refreshing Element Blue’s visual identity were fairly straightforward in nature. Primarily, we needed to align their outward presentation to be reflective of their position as a forward looking leader in technological innovation without explicitly tying them to an industry or service.
We accomplished these objectives by building a system of typography and treatments which avoid the commonplace trappings of “tech”—machined sans serifs, slanted type, and stark minimalism. Instead, we balanced a logo mark based on an exclusive and relatively obscure humanist typeface with simple, clean, and modern typefaces to communicate technology, but not depict it.
In our estimation, the true measure of “tech” is a failure to age as expected and the adopted system seeks similar timelessness through smart, and appropriate stylistic choices.
Fig. 3 Website homepage
